German media: Trump punishes Ukraine for being attacked by Russia

From the Deutsche Welle:

"German media on the "peace plan": Ukraine is being punished for the Russian attack 

Danil Bilyk, November 21, 2025 

The plan to end the war in Ukraine, prepared by the US administration, is reminiscent of the appeasement policy before World War II. Its implementation would mean Ukraine's capitulation, German media report. DW Review 

The plan for settling the war in Ukraine, prepared by the administration of US President Donald Trump jointly with Russian negotiators, is partly reminiscent of the 1938 appeasement policy and partly reminiscent of the Treaty of Versailles, with the difference that now the victim of an attack, not the aggressor, is required to renounce territory and weapons, German newspapers report. Implementing Trump's plan would mean Ukraine's capitulation and the destruction of peace and security in Europe, journalists note.

Der Tagesspiegel: The situation is reminiscent of the appeasement policy of 1938

The Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel draws historical parallels with the situation on the eve of World War II. "Now (the situation. - Ed.) is becoming dangerous: for Ukraine, but also for Germany and Europe. Confidants (of the US and Russian presidents. - Ed.) Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have reportedly developed a 28-point plan for how the war in Ukraine should end. Ukraine did not participate, and neither did Europe. Ukraine must give up territory - even more than Putin's troops occupied, in particular the Ukrainian defensive line, which is currently preventing a Russian offensive on Kyiv. Ukraine is to be allowed to have only a limited army, and weapons systems that could deter Moscow are to be banned. In short, Trump's plan means the capitulation of Ukraine. The situation is reminiscent of the appeasement policy pursued by British Prime Minister Chamberlain in Munich in 1938. To appease Hitler, he went along with the partition of Czechoslovakia. The great war began a year later."  

FAZ: Trump's guarantees will be worth something when he deploys American soldiers to Ukraine 

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) also touches on history and compares the Trump-Putin peace plan proposal to the Treaty of Versailles. The difference is that back then, the aggressor—Germany—was required to give up territory and weapons, while now it's Ukraine, the victim of the attack, that is being asked to do so. 

 "They are being punished with conditions unbearable for a sovereign country for Russia launching an aggressive war against their country, in violation of international law. Meanwhile, Moscow is being encouraged by the conquest of territory and the prospect of forcing the rest of Ukraine under its yoke. After all, weakened and demoralized, it will be unable to repel a second invasion by the Russian army, which is arming itself on a massive scale. But shouldn't the Ukrainians receive (as yet unknown) American security guarantees as compensation for their defenselessness? They already existed – in the Budapest Memorandum, in which even Moscow promised to respect Ukraine's sovereignty and borders. Trump's guarantees will only be worth anything when he deploys American soldiers to Ukraine. But for now, he categorically rules that out. 

Die Süddeutsche Zeitung: Ukraine's Capitulation on the Terms Desired by the Aggressor 

 A columnist for the Munich newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) believes that US President Donald Trump's policy toward Ukraine can only be "endured" with "humor or its evil little brother—sarcasm." 

"Trump's proposals supposedly consist of 28 points. But overall, just one would be enough. Then the document would look like this: at the top, the heading would read 'Peace Plan,' underneath: 'Point 1: Ukraine Capitulates.' And at the bottom: 'Signatories: Donald J. Trump, President of the United States; Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation." Because in practice, this is what it will result in – Ukraine's capitulation on the terms desired by the aggressor, forced through by two egomaniac rulers armed with nuclear weapons; behind the backs of the people who were attacked and who have been fighting for almost four years to avoid precisely this outcome. And behind the backs of the Europeans, who were caught off guard by what their supposed ally in Washington agreed to, and whose own security directly depends on the fate of Ukraine." 

Die Tageszeitung: An assault against Ukraine is prepared using diplomatic weapons as well

Another Berlin newspaper, die tageszeitung (taz), notes that the news of the American peace plan comes at a time when Ukraine is experiencing a "deep domestic political crisis," the military situation is "deteriorating before our eyes," and Russia is constantly shelling critical infrastructure. 

"It's at this moment that Washington once again takes center stage in its now-familiar, erratic manner. While Republicans are pushing legislation aimed at imposing sanctions on countries that buy oil and gas from Russia, a controversial "peace plan" suddenly emerges. It's supposedly the result of negotiations between Americans and Russians. What exactly it contains remains unclear, but one thing is clear: if Kyiv agrees to it (or is forced to agree), it will be tantamount to capitulation, and Moscow will then achieve its maximum demands. The fact that this initiative has emerged now is no coincidence. Rather, it gives reason to believe that they are preparing Ukraine for an assault, also using diplomatic weapons." 

Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger: Europe Has No Right to Crack Under Trump's Diktat 

The Cologne-based newspaper Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger (KStA) specifically emphasizes the danger the US-Russian plan poses for Europe. "This 'plan,' negotiated without the participation of the Ukrainian leadership and Europeans, is almost 100 percent in line with Putin's demands. A free part of Ukraine would effectively become a Russian vassal state, with Trump's blessing. Zelenskyy is under pressure, in part due to a corruption scandal. The Ukrainian population is exhausted by Russian bombing terror and is war-weary. So are the Europeans. But if European states do not want the peace and security order in Europe to collapse completely, they have no right to cave in to Trump's diktat. Putin has long been arming himself for a major war against Europe. Without Ukrainian resistance, Europe currently has little power to counter him." "

How much Ukrainian land Trump wants to give to Putin

From NDTV:

"US Plan Sees Ukraine Ceding Territory Same Size As Luxembourg: Report

AFP,  Nov 21, 2025 

France: The US peace plan for Ukraine could see Russia gain an area almost the same size as Luxembourg without a fight, according to an AFP analysis of data provided by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The US initiative, seen by AFP, calls for the withdrawal of the Ukrainian army from territories it still controls, leading to a net gain of approximately 2,300 square kilometres (888 square miles) for Moscow -- almost the same area as Luxembourg (2,590 sq km), without firing a single shot...

The plan also envisages recognising Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, Donetsk and Lugansk as "de facto" Russian."

The map below is from X: 

"Reuters published an infographic map showing the amount of territory Ukraine would have to cede without a fight, according to Trump's demands.  Trump's plan involves the withdrawal of the Ukrainian armed forces from the non-occupied parts of the Donbas regions — specifically, from the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration. See the latest updates with us: @visionergeo"

 

The only thing more pathetic than Trump and his men are his women

From People / Yahoo!News:

"Karoline Leavitt Tells Reporter Trump's 'Piggy' Insult Shows He's 'Respectful' by Being 'Honest to Your Faces' 

The White House press secretary told the press on Thursday that they should 'appreciate the frankness' they get from Trump

Meredith Kile, November 20, 2025

Donald Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has addressed the viral clip of the president calling a female reporter "Piggy."

During her briefing on Thursday, Nov. 20, Leavitt was asked about the incident, which occurred aboard Air Force One on Friday, Nov. 14. Trump was speaking to a gaggle of reporters when he was asked by Bloomberg correspondent Catherine Lucey about the Epstein files.

After the president said he had a "bad relationship" with Epstein, Lucey began to ask a follow-up, saying, "Sir, if there's nothing incriminating in the files..." However, Trump cut her off, pointing at her and snapping, "Quiet. Quiet, Piggy." He then continued to address other questions.

Leavitt said the startling moment was evidence of Trump's candid nature.

"Look, the president is very frank & honest with everyone in this room," she said. "You've all seen it yourselves. You've all experienced it yourselves. And I think it's one of the many reasons the American people reelected this president, because of his frankness."...

"And so I think the president being frank and open and honest to your faces, rather than hiding behind your backs, is frankly a lot more respectful than what you saw in the last administration, where you had a president who would lie to your face and then didn't speak to you for weeks," Leavitt said.

"I think everyone in this room should appreciate the frankness and the openness that you get from President Trump on a near-daily basis."

Leavitt's statement comes one day after the White House defended Trump's "Piggy" comment in a statement to PEOPLE, which said, “This reporter behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way towards her colleagues on the plane."

“If you’re going to give it, you have to be able to take.”

The White House official did not provide any clarity on what made Lucey's behavior "inappropriate and unprofessional."..."

The Bild also thinks that Trump's November "peace plan" was written by Putin

From the Dialog, Nov 21, 2025:

""It's as if Putin wrote it," BILD on Trump's "peace" plan

BILD political observer Roman Eichinger criticized the US "peace" plan, calling it a threat to Kyiv and all of Europe

The "peace" plan Washington is imposing on Ukraine isn't about ending the war, but about appeasing the aggressor at the expense of its victim.  

This plan will not end well, according to Roman Eichinger, a political commentator for the German publication BILD. 

An expert offered a harsh assessment of the American plan. According to him, the document gives the impression that it was dictated by the Kremlin. The expert asserts that the proposed terms pose a direct threat not only to Ukraine but to all of Europe. 

"The American 'peace' plan for Ukraine reads as if Putin himself had devised it. If it were truly proposed seriously, it would mean de facto capitulation for Kyiv and catastrophe for Europe," Eichinger stated.

According to the observer, the proposed approach secures the captured territories for Russia, and, as he emphasizes, "forever." This, he argues, negates the very idea of ​​a just peace and legitimizes aggression.

Eichinger warns that the sanctions relief outlined in the draft will effectively return Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to the world stage. He emphasizes that such a rehabilitation of the Kremlin would constitute a dangerous historical repetition. The expert pointed to direct parallels: from the Munich Agreement, where an attempt to appease Hitler led to disaster, to how impunity allowed Moscow to seize Ukrainian lands. 

He is particularly concerned about the proposed security guarantees for Ukraine. Eichinger is confident they are meaningless and will not stop Putin from attacking again.  

"Security guarantees for Ukraine are not worth a dime, or rather, a ruble: Putin has never paid attention to such promises, and Trump changes his mind on the matter every week," the expert stated. 

He believes that such conditions not only leave Ukraine without a real shield but also push the aggressor toward another war.  

The expert also draws attention to Europe's position, which has been effectively excluded from the negotiation process and the creation of a peace plan. According to him, this is a direct consequence of the region's military weakness and its total dependence on the United States for defense.  

"Anyone so militarily weak that their security depends on the US under Trump simply isn't at the table when the new world order is being discussed," the expert noted. 

Concluding his analysis, the observer draws a conclusion that, as he notes, has long been overdue: Europe must become a fully-fledged military force. He calls for the formation of a pan-European army capable of defending the continent without regard for external players."

Russian oppositionary: Including elections in a peace plan for Ukraine is a trap

From the Dialog, Nov 21, 2025:

"A dangerous trap for Ukraine in Trump's "peace" plan: expert points out a clause that went unnoticed

The "peace" plan that America is currently imposing on Ukraine contains a clause that could easily become a casus belli

According to the information regarding the peace plan's contents that has been made public so far, it includes a clause on the need to urgently hold elections in Ukraine. This is another easy casus belli. 

Abbas Gallyamov, a Russian political scientist and former Kremlin speechwriter, writes about this in his blog [on Facebook - M. M.]. 

Just imagine the following situation: the Kremlin nominates a candidate unacceptable to Ukrainians, for example, Tsarev (a traitor to Ukraine, a collaborator – ed.), the Ukrainian Central Election Commission refuses to register him, and voila: Putin declares the elections "disrupted," the treaty violated, and launches a new invasion.  

Even if we imagine that Ukrainians register this pro-Kremlin candidate, this won't save the situation. He will begin to violate electoral law so demonstratively that he will be forced to withdraw (let's not forget that in Ukraine, the courts are independent from the executive branch and are guided solely by the law, not by political considerations). The Kremlin will again use this candidate's withdrawal as a pretext for war.  

A peace treaty must include Russia's commitment not to use anything that happens during the Ukrainian elections as a pretext for renewed hostilities. The Ukrainian elections are an internal matter for Ukraine, not a subject for discussion by the international community." 

Europe: Trump's November "peace plan" is Putin's wish list

From the Politico:

"Europe to Trump: Your Ukraine peace plan is no plan at all 

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s ceasefire blueprint is a blow to dismayed Europeans who thought Trump finally understood that you can’t trust Putin

November 20, 2025

By Tim Ross, Veronika Melkozerova, Nicholas Vinocur and Eli Stokols

European and Ukrainian officials have rejected Donald Trump’s latest proposal for a lopsided peace deal that favors Moscow, warning that caving in to Russia will only encourage Vladimir Putin to attack NATO next. 

Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, told the U.S. president’s team that their 28-point blueprint for a ceasefire will fail without support from both Kyiv and European governments, which are now the biggest donors to Ukraine’s war effort.

The U.S. proposal has triggered alarm in European capitals, in part because they were completely cut out of the process of drafting it, and mostly because, in the view of one official, it amounts to nothing more than Putin’s wish list.

Under the terms of the outline agreement reported by various international media outlets, Ukraine would be forced to give up occupied territory in the east of the country, cut its military in half, and surrender some powerful weapons. 

“For any peace plan to succeed, it has to be supported by Ukraine and it has to be supported by Europe,” Kallas told reporters in Brussels on Thursday. “The pressure must be on the aggressor, not on the victim. Rewarding aggression will only invite more of it.” 

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told European ministers at a private meeting in Brussels that it was obvious Russia had dictated the terms of the new proposals. “The bottom line is that any peace plan is not doable if it is based on appeasement of the aggressor,” he said, according to a person directly familiar with his remarks. “This could only bring more war and brutality to Ukraine and all of Europe.”...

Going nowhere 

The news went down badly with officials in European capitals and in Zelenskyy’s government, not least because the proposed terms — once again — look likely to be heavily in Russia’s favor. 

Kallas said no European minister had been involved in devising the Witkoff plan, noting that “we haven’t heard of any concessions on the Russian side.” 

Less than a month ago, it seemed as if Trump had finally accepted that Russia’s leader was not to be trusted. When he announced sanctions on Russia’s two biggest oil firms, Trump said: “Every time I speak with Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere.”

But the points contained in the latest plan amount to handing Putin his key demands: Giving the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine to Russia and cutting the size of Ukraine’s military. 

Officials and diplomats, granted anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, voiced their frustration with the Americans’ shift in approach back toward imposing a “bad deal” on Ukraine.  

“Of course, this is worrying, but we need to stick to our position,” one EU diplomat said. “If Russia gets away with it, it’s only a matter of time before we see more Russian aggression in Ukraine, but also into EU and NATO member states.” 

Putin’s wishlist

A senior European official familiar with the new 28-point proposal said it was just a list of “points to satisfy Putin” and was a very bad plan. “But the signals are that Ukrainians have to accept it,” the senior official said. “Kyiv is making it clear that putting pressure on Ukraine is unnecessary and won’t help anyone.” 

Another senior European official said the timing of the latest White House effort is especially unfortunate given that Zelensky “is already hard pressed by military gains by Russia and the internal turmoil of the corruption scandal.”

Europeans are facing another stark realization: Their efforts to buy themselves a place at the negotiating table by agreeing to foot the bill for new defense aid going to Ukraine don’t appear to be working out.

“How do Europeans have so little agency here even when we’re now paying the entire bill?” the second senior European official said, calling the proposed concessions being asked of Ukraine “unreasonable.”..."

Donbas is not real estate on Airbnb

From UNIAN:

""Renting Donbas" 

Igor Petrenko, Political scientist, November 20, 2025 

The ideas currently being floated as points in a "peace plan" aimed at freezing the Russian-Ukrainian war are increasingly absurd. For example, The Telegraph, citing sources familiar with the terms of the "US peace plan" developed with Russian participation, reports that Ukraine, in addition to reducing its armed forces, banning long-range missiles, prohibiting the deployment of foreign troops as security guarantees, and a host of similar "demands," will also be forced to cede control of Donbas. However, it will allegedly retain ownership of the portion of the region it controls. 

The publication notes that the proposal to lease Donbas to Russians fits perfectly into US President Donald Trump's business dealings, as Donbas is rich in minerals. In exchange for the territory, Moscow will pay Ukraine, which will lose access to these rich lands, a land tax.

The rent (and tax) amount, however, is not specified. Apparently, the idea is that the parties will negotiate on the spot, as in a market.

But just imagine: a burglar breaks into your home, kills your family, destroys half the house, and then the "peacemaker" offers: "Okay, let him live in your bedroom, but he'll pay you $50 a month. Sounds like a good deal, right?"

Or maybe we should start paying "neighbor Vasya" 500 UAH a month just so he doesn't park his car on your lawn (after all, he considers that lawn "primordially his")?! 

In reality, such a "peace proposal" demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the following: 

- Donbas is not a property on Airbnb; it is an occupied territory with millions of victims; 

- an aggressor has no "lease rights" to the land they seized while committing genocide; 

- it is impossible to monetize a crime against humanity; 

- Ukraine is not a bankrupt company selling off its assets.    

I also have a question for the plan's authors: is it possible to "rent" Auschwitz? What about Babi Yar? How much would it cost to legitimize war crimes—is there some kind of price list? 

Unfortunately, this whole "peace at any price" narrative isn't diplomacy, but moral bankruptcy dressed up in an Armani suit. 

And by the way, Russia still owes Ukraine for "renting" Crimea since 2014. Maybe we should pay off the old debts first?"

Trump's November "peace plan" was all about profit

From UNIAN:

"Trump's "Peace" Business Plan 

Igar Tyshkevich, Political Analyst, 21.11.25 

A brief overview of Trump's 28 points for Ukraine.

Territories—what I previously described as the so-called "Georgian" or, if you prefer, "Korean" scenario—non-political recognition of the occupation, but de facto recognition. It's like the US didn't recognize the USSR's occupation of the Baltic states until they seceded from the Soviet Union. 

The demilitarized zone—a topic that has also come up before in discussions about security guarantees and international forces that would control a certain zone. Now Trump is defining its borders and legal status. But in a format unacceptable (in terms of size and political significance) for Ukraine.  

Ukraine without NATO, NATO without Ukraine—this has already been suggested by the US. And this is a geopolitical concession for Russia, one that Washington is willing to make. 

A Ukrainian army of 600,000? Well, by 2022, it was 250-270. And Ukraine simply can't afford a peacetime army of 1 million. So, it's a perfectly acceptable option. 

Everything else is about profit and advantage for the US, and only for the US. Judge for yourself: 

Frozen Russian assets are being unfrozen, and some are being transferred to another category—the US-led Ukraine Recovery Fund, where the United States receives 50% of the investment profits. This likely refers to the fund to be created under the resource agreement. In other words, Washington is filling it with Russian money and profiting from it. A brilliant scheme.

The EU is also investing 100 billion, but it's unclear whose money (probably European) it is. And the question is: "Where" is it investing it? If it's investing it in the aforementioned fund, then the US is profiting from a package worth not 100 billion, but 200 billion.

The remaining 290 billion rubles of frozen Russian assets are being channeled into another investment vehicle. And there's no information about its concentration on Ukrainian projects. These are "American investments" of former Russian money, most likely in Russia or Russian projects. In other words, Trump will try to play the same game with the Kremlin. 

Meanwhile, the "remaining" money could be used, in particular, for projects to restore gas transit from Russia to the EU. A shell company will be created (which may become a shareholder in the Ukrainian gas transmission system), and it will then purchase gas from Russia and sell it to Europeans as "American." Remember RosUkrEnergo? This will be RosAmEnergo.   

The "payment for US guarantees" is a whole other story. It's not yet clear what exactly these are. In the best-case scenario, it's weapons and commitments to supply them. In the worst-case scenario, it's the Budapest Memorandum for money.

And finally, there's a curious clause about overseeing the treaty's implementation by a "Peace Council headed by Trump." Adding a person's name to the treaty automatically limits its validity. Why? Humans don't live forever. And the question is, will Trump continue to be the "chairman of the council" after his term ends? And if the "chairman" is an ordinary American retiree, what value will this oversight have?

So we have a typical Trump business plan for making money from war."  

Russianisms in Trump's November peace plan reveal that it was, indeed, written by Russia

Commenting Trump's November 2025 "peace plan" that he relentlessly bullied Zelensky to accept, the Finnish Foreign Minister Valtonen said the proposals seem to have been written in Moscow.

This was most likely a rhetorical expression to draw attention on the pro-Russian nature of the plan, but it turns out that Ms. Valtonen was right in the most literal sense.

From the New Republic / Yahoo!News: 

"Trump’s Ukraine Peace Deal Appears to Be Translated From Russian

Hafiz Rashid, November 21, 2025

The U.S. peace plan presented to Ukraine appears to have been translated from Russian.

The syntax of certain phrases are more common in the Russian language, such as the third point of the 28-point plan: “It is expected that Russia will not invade neighbouring countries and Nato will not expand further.”

“It is expected” is not commonly used in English, but it is common in Russian and appears to come from the phrase ожидается or ozhidayetsya, according to The Guardian’s Luke Harding. Other words that appear to be translated from Russian include “ambiguities” (неоднозначности) and “to enshrine” (закрепить). 

It’s no accident, either: The plan was hammered out by President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev, an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, after the two met last month in Miami. While Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also involved, no Ukrainian or European officials were, which is pretty evident by its contents.

For example, under the proposal, Ukraine would cede Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk to Russia and would be banned from joining NATO. Russia would get readmitted to the G8. Ukraine would also reduce the size of its military by hundreds of thousands, and no NATO troops could be stationed in the country. Sanctions against Russia would also be lifted but would snap back if Russia invades Ukraine again.

It leaves Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a predicament of whether he should end the war quickly or risk accepting a deal that much of his country would reject. Unnamed Ukrainian officials have already called the plan “absurd” and “unacceptable,” as it seems very similar to Russia’s demands shortly after its 2022 invasion. It seems Trump is more interested in appeasing Russia than considering Ukraine’s needs."

*** 

I would just correct that it is not Ukraine's needs, it is Ukraine's rights, according to international law on which the world order is based. 

The Telegraph / Yahoo!News gives a sequel: 

"Trump peace plan ‘written by Russia’

Nick Squires, November 23, 2025

The Trump administration has denied claims that its peace plan for Ukraine was written by Russia and then translated clumsily into English.

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, was forced to defend the plan, which has been harshly criticised for being deeply favourable to Moscow.

He insisted that he and the Trump administration were the authors of the plan but admitted that it was “based on input from the Russian side”.

Critics say the proposals – which include Ukraine ceding vast tracts of territory to Russia – read like a “wish list” for Vladimir Putin.

Meaghan Mobbs, the daughter of Lt Gen Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy to Ukraine who announced last week that he would quit his post, claimed that the peace plan was originally written in Russian.

Lt Gen Kellogg, a former national security adviser and retired general, has fallen out of favour with the Trump administration, which saw him as too sympathetic to Ukraine.

Ms Mobbs suggested that the document was “not originally written in English”, pointing to transliteration errors, Russian political vocabulary and phrasing that is commonly used by Moscow.

There was “no doubt” that it was originally written in Russian, she said.

Mike Rounds, a Republican senator from South Dakota, appeared to echo the claim, saying: “This administration was not responsible for this release in its current form. They want to utilise it as a starting point.”

He added: “It looked more like it was written in Russian to begin with.”

The allegations were roundly denied by Trump officials...

The 28-point list of proposals for ending the war includes drastically reducing the size of the Ukrainian military and prohibiting Ukraine from ever joining NATO...

Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister and a fierce critic of the Trump-Russia plan, said on Sunday morning: “Together with the leaders of Europe, Canada and Japan, we have declared our readiness to work on the 28-point plan despite some reservations.

“However, before we start our work, it would be good to know for sure who is the author of the plan and where was it created.”

Donald Trump has given Kyiv a deadline of this Thursday to accept the plan, which has been widely criticised by US senators, including some Republicans.

They say it is heavily skewed towards Russia and would mean that Ukraine’s sacrifices made in blood would have been in vain.

“It rewards aggression. This is pure and simple. There’s no ethical, legal, moral, political justification for Russia claiming eastern Ukraine,” said Angus King, an independent senator from Maine and a member of the Senate foreign relations committee.

He compared the proposal to Neville Chamberlain’s Munich Pact with Adolf Hitler in 1938, a failed act of appeasement...

On Saturday, a group of US senators, all members of the foreign relations committee, issued a joint statement which said: “We share significant concerns over the details of the reported peace plan that has been released.

“For over 10 years, Russia has illegally occupied Ukrainian territory and for almost four years, Ukraine has admirably defended itself against Russia’s attempts to fully occupy Ukraine.

“No one wants a just and lasting peace more than the Ukrainian people. However, we will not achieve that lasting peace by offering Putin concession after concession and fatally degrading Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.”

On Saturday, Mr Trump said that the plan did not represent a “final offer” for Ukraine.

American officials and politicians are deeply concerned about a meeting last month in which representatives of the Trump administration met Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian envoy who is under US sanctions, to draft the plan to end the war, Reuters has reported.

The meeting took place in Miami at the end of October and included Steve Witkoff, Mr Trump’s special envoy, Jared Kushner, the US president’s son-in-law, and Mr Dmitriev, who leads the Russian Direct Investment Fund, one of Russia’s largest sovereign wealth funds.

The meeting resulted in the 28-point plan for ending the war.

The plan came as a surprise to officials in various corners of the Trump administration, including inside the State Department and on the National Security Council, Reuters said.

There are “worries inside the administration and on Capitol Hill that Witkoff and Kushner skirted the inter-agency process and that the discussions with Dmitriev ... resulted in a plan that favours Russian interests” Reuters said.

Roger Wicker, a Mississippi senator and the Republican chairman of the Senate armed services committee, said: “This so-called ‘peace plan’ has real problems, and I am highly sceptical it will achieve peace.

“Ukraine should not be forced to give up its lands to one of the world’s most flagrant war criminals in Vladimir Putin.”"

 

 

 

 

 

Zelensky: Ukraine is Europe's only shield

From a last year's speech by Zelensky:

"We Need Unity More Than Ever, So That There Can Be a Dignified Peace in Our Home – Address by the President

21 November 2025

 Ukrainians!

There comes a moment in the life of every nation when everyone needs to talk things through. Honestly. Calmly. Without speculation, rumors, gossip, without anything extra. Just as things are. Just as I’ve always tried to speak to you.

Right now is one of the hardest moments in our history. Right now, Ukraine is under some of the heaviest pressure yet. Right now, Ukraine may find itself facing a very tough choice. Either the loss of our dignity or the risk of losing a key partner. Either the difficult 28 points, or an extremely hard winter – the hardest yet – and the dangers that follow. A life without freedom, without dignity, without justice. And that we trust someone who has already attacked us twice...

We will – and must – do everything so that, as a result, the war ends, but Ukraine does not end, Europe does not end, nor does global peace.

I’ve just spoken with Europeans. We count on our European friends who fully understand that Russia is not somewhere far away – it’s right next to the EU’s borders, that Ukraine today is the only shield separating comfortable European life from Putin’s plans. We remember: Europe stood with us. We believe: Europe will stand with us.

Ukraine must not live through a déjà vu of February 24, when we felt alone, when no one could stop Russia except our heroic people, who stood like a wall against Putin’s army.

And of course it was nice to hear the world say: Ukrainians are incredible; God, how they, Ukrainians, fight; how Ukrainians stand; what titans they are. And it’s true. Absolutely. But Europe and the whole world must also understand another truth: Ukrainians are, first of all, human beings. And for almost four years of full-scale invasion, we have been holding back one of the largest armies on Earth. And we are holding a frontline stretching thousands of kilometers. And our people endure nightly shelling, missile attacks, ballistic missile strikes, and "shahed" strikes. And every day, our people lose their loved ones. And our people desperately want this war to end. Yes, we are made of steel. But any metal, even the strongest, can give way.

Remember this. Stay with Ukraine. Stay with our people – and that means stay with dignity and freedom..."

The USA "want to stop the war and want Ukraine to pay the price"

From Reuters:

"Exclusive: US threatens to cut intel, weapons to press Ukraine into peace deal, sources say

By Tom Balmforth, November 22, 2025

 

KYIV, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The United States has threatened to cut intelligence sharing and weapons supplies for Ukraine to press it into agreeing to the framework of a U.S.-brokered peace deal, two people familiar with the matter said.

 

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Kyiv was under greater pressure from Washington than during any previous peace discussions, and that the U.S. wanted Ukraine to sign a framework of the deal by next Thursday.

 

"They want to stop the war and want Ukraine to pay the price," one of the sources said.

 

Washington has presented Ukraine with a 28-point plan, which endorses some of Russia's principal demands in the war, including that Kyiv cede additional territory, curb the size of its military and be barred from joining NATO.

 

A delegation of senior U.S. military officials met with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Thursday to discuss a path to peace.

 

The U.S. ambassador in Ukraine and the army public affairs chief travelling with the delegation described the meeting as a success and said Washington sought an "aggressive timeline" for the signature of a document between the U.S. and Ukraine.

Reporting by Tom Balmforth, writing by Max Hunder, editing by Philippa Fletcher and Peter Graff."

More about Trump's November "peace plan"

From the Hill / Yahoo!News:

"Trump’s 28-point Ukraine peace plan catches Congress off guard

Laura Kelly, November 20, 2025

The Trump administration is renewing a push to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, with a reported 28-point peace plan that caught Kyiv’s supporters in Congress off guard and left at least one Republican warning against what appears to be a largely pro-Moscow proposal.

The plan was reportedly worked out by President Trump’s top envoy for peace negotiations, Steve Witkoff, and a top ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, and discussed with only a few top senior Ukrainian officials...

Likewise, Ukraine’s top supporters in Congress appeared to be in the dark...

Some lawmakers were left to learn the details of the 28-point peace plan largely from reporting in Axios, which broke the story, and the Financial Times, which followed up with details of the plan.

According to these reporters, the plan would have Ukraine give up full control of the eastern territory of the Donbas to Russia, even as Ukraine maintains control of about 12 percent of the territory with a heavily fortified front line, and requires Ukraine to cut the size of its armed forces by half...

Rep. Don Bacon, the outgoing Republican congressman from Nebraska, criticized the administration for reportedly negotiating with the Russians without the Ukrainians and appearing to pressure Kyiv.

“This sounds like 1938 Munich,” Bacon posted on social platform X, referring to the agreement that is largely criticized as appeasing Nazi Germany with territory at the time and emboldening Adolf Hitler to try to conquer Europe.

Other reported details of the plan include limits on Ukraine’s arsenal of weapons and limiting U.S. military assistance. The Financial Times also reported that the plan bars foreign troops from Ukrainian soil — essentially vetoing ideas for a European or international peacekeeping force to monitor any ceasefire, or potentially blocking Ukrainian partnerships with foreign militaries. Also, Kyiv would no longer receive Western long-range weapons that can strike deep into Russia.

The Financial Times continued that the plan says Russian should be recognized as an official state language in Ukraine and that it should grant official status to the local branch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Kyiv accuses the church of being an arm of the Kremlin’s propaganda, supporting the war in Ukraine.

Many of the points are nonstarters for Kyiv, which has agreed to Trump’s calls for a ceasefire on existing battle lines but rejected demands to cede territory, warning it would only open the rest of the country to future Russian aggression.

Russia is apparently hoping its military advances and a corruption scandal related to Ukraine’s energy sector weaken the negotiating position of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“The irony: exposed Zelensky team corruption makes peace in Ukraine much more likely,” Dmitriev posted Tuesday on X...

The plan’s reported details were met with concern among Ukraine’s staunch supporters in the U.S. and viewed as particularly cynical following a deadly strike by Russia on the Ukrainian city of Ternopil, killing at least 25 people, including three children.

“As Ukraine mourns innocent people murdered in their sleep by a russian terrorist missile, the media reports that the US Administration has shared with Ukraine a new, updated Capitulation Plan,” Olena Halushka, co-founder of the International Center for Ukrainian Victory, a coalition of Ukrainian civil society leaders and think tanks, posted on X.

“No pressure on russia, just Ukraine cutting its own hands and legs. What a disgrace.”..."

Finland: Trump's November "peace plan" was apparently written in Moscow

From Euromaidan Press:

"Trump’s peace plan sounds like it came straight from Moscow, Finnish foreign minister says

byYuri Zoria, 20/11/2025

 

Following media reports about a possible peace plan discussed by the US and Russia, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said the proposals seem to have been written in Moscow, according to YLE. She made her remarks during a visit by NATO ambassadors to northern Finland's Rovaniemi on 20 November... 

 

Valtonen told YLE the leaked terms resemble proposals that could have originated in the Kremlin. She warned that, if accurate, they "wipe the UN Charter off the table" entirely. Valtonen said that if the reported terms are accurate, neither Ukraine nor its European allies could accept them."

The November "peace plan" was worse than Trump's anti-Ukrainian excesses in February 2025

From the Dialog, Nov 20, 2025:

"Such a ferocious savagery wasn't even seen in February: what's wrong with the Witkoff-Dmitriev "peace" plan 

All sorts of things have happened, but such demands, of course, have never been made. The Economist, The Telegraph, and The Wall Street Journal have published information, revealing details of the "peace" plan the United States wants to impose on Ukraine. A well-known analyst from To Be Or explained what's wrong with the plan. 

The US-Russian "peace plan" requires Ukraine to: 

 

- retain only 40% of its current Ukrainian Armed Forces. Russia, however, is not reducing its army in any way;

 

- Ukraine is prohibited from possessing long-range weapons; 

 

- Western troops cannot be deployed in Ukraine; 

 

- Western diplomatic planes will be prohibited from landing in Ukraine; 

 

- Ukraine must recognize Russian as a second official language;  

 

- the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), which has been repeatedly exposed as an agent of espionage and propaganda, must be restored; 

 

- the surrender of Donbass may be presented as a "territorial lease deal" under which Russia will pay some price for de facto control, and Ukraine will not have to hold a constitutional referendum, without which it is impossible to give up the territories (this is The Telegraph's inside information);  

 

- Ukraine (attention!) will be allowed to negotiate security guarantees with the US and Europe. (Wow! They even allowed entire negotiations on security guarantees!); 

 

- Moscow promises not to attack Ukraine and will even stipulate this in legislation. (Moscow has signed dozens of treaties with such obligations, starting with the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1991, and has never violated anything. Truly, truly!).  

 

In general, Ukraine was not offered such a cruel game even in February.  

 

A couple more details from The Wall Street Journal, with additions from NBC News, CNN and The Telegraph: 

 

- the plan was developed (attention!) by Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in consultation with Kirill Dmitriev. (I'm inclined to believe in Rubio's participation - his post on Twitter de facto confirmed it);  

 

- President Trump supported the plan. The plan itself materialized after Trump gave instructions to develop new details of the proposal, which would include initiatives for both sides. (Well, Witkoff developed it for you. Take that!);  

 

- CNN and NBC News confirm that Trump supports the plan; 

 

- Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, who is in Kyiv for the second day, has been briefed on the plan and briefed by Whitkoff, but communicating it to the Ukrainian leadership is not the main purpose of his visit; 

 

- NBC News believes that Driscoll's visit to Kyiv is unrelated to the Whitkoff-Dmitriev plan and simply coincided with its timing;  

 

- However, Keith Kellogg's departure in January is precisely related to this plan, according to The Telegraph: the general believes his administration colleagues are too easily influenced by Russia, a source close to him said. (It seems the old man simply realized he has no influence over this circus and decided not to participate...)"

Vance would advise Jews to "trade and travel" with Nazis

From Ukrainian Pravda:

"Vance advises Ukrainians and Russians to "trade and travel" instead of "killing each other"

Oleh Pavliuk, Alona Mazurenko — 20 November 2025

 

US Vice President JD Vance has said he believes that Ukraine and Russia should trade and engage in "cultural exchanges" instead of fighting...

"We've got eight peace deals at this point. We're working on number 9 and number 10. And I think that if he gets number 10, purely for mathematical harmony, the Nobel [Peace] Prize should be awarded to Donald J. Trump," he said.

"Why, rather than Russia and Ukraine killing one another, why don't they actually engage in some commerce with one another, travel between the two countries, engage in some sort of cultural exchange? That is his fundamental perspective that he takes into these things.""

***

Life is imitating art - in particular, the movie Idiocracy.

Ukrainian opinion about the Epstein files

From an interview of Roman Pryadun with the former diplomat Roman Bessmertny in the Ukrainian Obozrevatel, Nov 20, 2025:

"... - Regarding the domestic situation in the US, the Epstein files are once again being hotly debated. The topic hasn't gone away, but it flares up periodically. Just yesterday, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill requiring the publication of the correspondence. Much of what has already been published is quite revealing. For example, the Russians allegedly have dirt on Trump. He says he's not afraid of anything, but his response to a female reporter on this topic—about the "piggy"—gives the impression that there are serious problems inside.

This isn't the first time I've noticed: new batches of Epstein files appear when tensions rise between Moscow and Washington. More precisely, between Trump and Putin. And each time, something is planted. And then the story immediately emerges that it's liberals or Democrats who are leaking something. Even though Moscow is in contact with Trump's inner circle. 

- It seems that pro-Russian MAGA representatives are torpedoing this issue no less actively than the Democrats.

Absolutely right. And this only confirms that the US investigation only has partial information. The majority—the concept, the implementation, the overall design—is a product of the era when Communist Party money was being laundered and the KGB system needed somewhere to hide it. 

"Honey traps" were one of the KGB's global operations used to launder Communist Party money, including the network built by Epstein. But attention should be paid not only to Epstein, but also to Ghislaine Maxwell, his associate, and Ivanka Zelníčková , Donald Trump's first wife.  

Zelníčková was a KGB agent, recruited by the Czechoslovak branch of the KGB. This is documented. She was legalized in the United States; she was a prominent figure. There, she was naturalized and introduced to another agent, Maxwell, the daughter of Robert Maxwell, a legendary intelligence officer and citizen of nine countries. The essence of the operation was to provide sexual "services" to the entire American establishment. And once this is truly revealed, we will have information on all famous actors, most politicians, and businessmen—everyone is involved. 

- And how do you think all this could end for the United States and for Donald Trump? 

It depends on how complete the published text is. I don't believe the current picture, what I see from reviewing many of the materials already released, will be definitive. Much of what we can infer comes from court cases in Europe. Much was said there, but these materials cannot be added to the cases in the United States. 

And I foresee a different scenario. Remember the story with the Kennedy materials? They said they were about to publish everything. And what happened? Practically nothing. Then it turned out that some of the documents came from Moscow. That's how it will be now. Some will be published, others will be quietly put aside. And then everything will continue as before: new texts will periodically appear, which the FSB will throw at precisely when it's necessary to undermine Trump. You see, if he's already calling people names who simply ask him questions, what kind of mental state is he in? He won't get off the Kremlin's hook. He has no mechanism for freeing himself from it. That's why he's swinging back and forth in this pendulum of the Russian-Ukrainian war..." 

US pressures Ukraine to make painful concessions, and withdraws aid

From the Semafor / Yahoo!News:

"US pressures Ukraine to accept new peace plan

Prashant Rao, November 21, 2025

The US is reportedly pressuring Ukraine to accept painful compromises as part of a peace deal with Russia, an agreement that analysts largely panned.

The 28-point proposal would require Kyiv to give up the Donbas region and limit the size of its military, though according to Axios, it also includes a NATO-style security guarantee.

Experts have criticized Washington for making excessive demands of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while asking little of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, and for largely excluding Kyiv from the drafting of peace plans.

“As long as Trump thinks that he can end this war with Putin and without Zelensky and Ukraine, he will have to wait a whole lot longer,” an Obama-era NATO envoy wrote.

 A chart showing US and EU support for Ukraine."

***

The graph shows well the magnitude of Trump's zeal to destroy Ukraine. The good thing, however, is that by withdrawing aid, he deprives himself of leverage. The less he gives Ukraine, the less she needs to tip-toe around his demands for capitulation.

Russia destroys food provided by UN to Ukrainian civilians

From the Obozrevatel:

"Charred canned goods and pasta: Russia destroyed 10,000 food parcels at a WFP warehouse in Dnipro 

Ksenia Kapustinskaya, November 20, 2025 

A Russian attack on the evening of November 19 damaged a food warehouse belonging to the UN World Food Programme (WFP). The warehouse is located in the city of Dnipro. The attack destroyed at least 10,000 food packages intended to support civilians near the front lines...

Food products stored in the warehouse and not yet packaged into food parcels were also damaged. WFP continues to assess the extent of the damage. Photos published by Suspilne journalists show extensive damage to the warehouse. One of the images clearly shows a large hole in the roof:  

 A large quantity of spoiled produce lies on the floor, mixed with trash and likely structural remains. Specifically, smashed and charred cans of food are visible:

Photos also show torn bags of pasta...

 

The WFP noted that over the past 18 months, its and its partners' warehouses and vehicles have been hit more than 60 times..."